Arsenal vs. Borussia Dortmund: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Arsenal found a way to silence the critics Wednesday night by defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
The win earned the Gunners a spot in the round of 16 alongside the German side, who failed to impress in every aspect of the game.
The victory was the first in any competition for Arsenal since the 3-0 win over Burnley back on November 1.
Here's a look at the lessons we learned from the dominant performance put in by the Gunners.
Yaya Sanogo Was Fantastic for 10 Minutes
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Before the match began, Arsene Wenger received a ton of criticism for starting the ineffective Yaya Sanogo.
Two minutes into the match, Sanogo rewarded the Arsenal boss for his faith with his first competitive goal for the club. The shot from the forward went straight through the legs of Roman Weidenfeller and into the back of the net.
Sanogo showed more promise in the 10th minute, when he latched on to a pass from Aaron Ramsey. However, he could not fire a clean shot off after he tried to do too much against a pair of defenders.
Despite his hot start, Sanogo didn't have many positive moments after the first 10 minutes. He was absent from the attacking buildup for long stretches, which was not acceptable in a one-goal game.
Sanogo did show a little bit of life late in the second half, but before he could make a mark on the match again, he limped off the pitch with a hamstring injury.
Everything About Dortmund's Game Was Awful
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Wednesday was a night to forget for Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund side.
Nothing seemed to go the way of the German club, who already clinched qualification for the knockout round on Matchday 4.
The Group D leaders did put four shots on target, but none of them caused any real danger to Arsenal 'keeper Emiliano Martinez. Klopp tried to change the flow of the match by making a double substitution in the 61st minute, but Shinji Kagawa and Adrian Ramos had no true impact on the final result.
The drop in class from the first four Champions League games may have been caused by the club's knockout round qualification. Dortmund played like nothing was on the line, although first place is still up for grabs on Matchday 6.
Expect Klopp to get a better performance out of his side this weekend in the Bundesliga against Eintracht Frankfurt. If his side fails to respond, concern could grow about Klopp's job security.
The Injury Situation at Arsenal Is Not Getting Any Better
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Two more names were added to the growing list of injured players at Arsenal during Wednesday's match.
Before Sanogo limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the 79th minute, Mikel Arteta signaled for a switch in the 66th minute.
Arteta was seconds away from being taken off the pitch in favor of Mathieu Flamini due to the yellow card he picked up in the first half. Before that change could occur, Arteta went down in pain on the pitch in north London. After the match, Wenger told reporters that Arteta's calf problem looks serious.
The two new injuries add to the growing list of hurt players at Arsenal, which saw Jack Wilshere join it over the weekend.
Wenger should not be too concerned about replacing Arteta, but he will have to worry about what he should do in regards to the forward position. Olivier Giroud is still making his way back from an injury, which means Lukas Podolski or Joel Campbell could see some time in the near future for the Gunners.
Alexis Sanchez Continues to Be the Best Player on the Pitch
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Alexis Sanchez once again was the best player on the pitch for the Gunners in the 2-0 victory.
The Chilean showed off his tremendous skill in the 57th minute, when he hit a shot from the left side of the pitch into the right side of the net.
The goal was the main highlight from the match, but Alexis played with a high motor for every minute of the clash in north London. He now has three goals in the Champions League this season and 10 in his last 10 games for club and country.
Regardless of how many players go down with an injury for Arsenal, Wenger knows he can rely on Alexis to deliver a quality performance in every match.
Arsene Wenger Found a Perfect Way to Silence the Critics
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Pressure was growing on Wenger after the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, but he earned some relief Wednesday with the win over Borussia Dortmund.
The Gunners boss, whose decisions are constantly under the microscope, instituted a perfect game plan to hand his side an early advantage.
Wenger had his team attack from the off, which reaped a massive reward in the second minute in the form of Sanogo's goal.
His team kept up the pressure for most of the match, and the back four held the Dortmund attack to a minimal threat.
The win also extended Arsenal's streak of 15 straight knockout-round appearances, which is an impressive feat for the Wenger-led side.
There Is Still Plenty to Play for on Matchday 6
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Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal are both guaranteed a place in the knockout round, but their respective spots in the draw are still to be determined.
Dortmund carry a two-point lead, and an advantage of six on goal differential, into Matchday 6. But if they play like they did Wednesday, the Gunners could find a way to top them in Group D.
It would be appear that Dortmund have the better chance of securing first place since they host Anderlecht at Signal Iduna Park. Arsenal have to make a trip to Turkey to face Galatasaray.
An Arsenal win and a Dortmund loss would hand the English side the upper hand when it comes to the draw. One has to think both teams will field respectable sides with a chance to avoid a round-of-16 matchup with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Chelsea.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
